Cable reel for mine sweepers



Oct.- 12, 1943, F, R. CAPPS CABLE REEL FOR MINE SWEEPERS Filed June 20, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l fm/vx ecnPps,

, Oct. 12, 1943. F. R. CAPPS CABLE REEL FOR MINE SWEEPERS Filed June 20, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m Dm Oct. 12, 1943. CAPPS CABLE REEL Eo'R MINE SWEEPERS I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 20, 1941 Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED- STATES TENT OFFICE This invention relates to a cable reel and is particularly concerned'with a reel for use on water craft such as mine sweepers Where heavy 'coacting drive-assembly which constitutes a com-- pact unit capable of easy and imple installation, and when so installed will deliver the required power positively and give long and continuous heavy duty service;

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the follow ing description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively views in plan and end elevation of a cable reel embodying the invention shown installed in a well on th deck of a mine sweeper;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the axial portion of the cable reel and the coacting drive and control mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 3 with parts broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a removable hand operating unit or standby device which may be substituted for the motor or power drive.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a cable reel or winding drum is generally indicated at E0 and is shown mounted in a'well W formed in the deck D of a mine sweeper. In its preferred form the reel comprises a drum H which may be made of 'metal or other suitable material, aid drum being secured at its opposite edges to reinforcing rings I l and l l in turn secured to the spokes l2, 12'. The outer ends of both sets of spokes are en aged in rims [3. Th inner ends of the spokes l2 which are on the drivine side of the reel are removably secured to the periphery of a combined ring gear and hub spider M provided on its outer side with an internal gear I5. The spokes of the spider l4 radiate from a hub is; while the inner ends of the spokes l2 are removably secured to a'hub member H by means of bolts I8, note Fig. 3.

To reinforce the inner portion of the reel drum, cross braces 19 of angle shape are extended at an incline across the central portion of the drum, the one end of each brace being removably secured to a peripheral flange 20 formed on the periphery of the ring gearl5 and the opposite end thereof being secured to the reinforc ing ring I l The winding drum or reel .thus formed is rug ed and possessed of relatively great strength while at the same-time the respective parts thereof constitute a demounta-bleassembly which is convenient in manufacture with the various parts capable of being made of different materials consistent with the duties they are adapted to perform. I

The winding-drum is mounted on a shaft .2al which projects through the hubs i6 and i 7 and is splined to the latter. The opposite ends of the shaft 2| are supported by pedestals 2 2 and 23 provided with bearings 24 and-25, the shaft being removably and-adjustably secured in position by end nuts 28 and 21'. The pedestali-t is mounted on a bearing plate 28 which in turn i secured to the deckD of the mine sweeper, while the pedestal 22 rests on part "of .a gear'case or housing to be described. Bearing caps 3i] and 3| are secured on the pedestals 22 and 23 over the bearingsor bushings 24 and 25.

The drive on the internal gear I5 is trans- -mitted from a primary drive member, such as a motor (not shown), through-drive mechanism of a simple and compact yet highly effective nature mounted in a control or gear box .32 provided with a cover 32', said mechanism comprisingya -jackshaft 33 which at its inner end is provided with a pinion 34 in mesh with the teeth of the internal gear l5, the said jackshaft at this end being mounted in bearings 35. A worm gear 36, note particularly Figs. 3 and 4, is mounted for freerotation on a bearing 31 in turn mounted on the shaft 33, said worm gear being thus adapted for free running movement on said shaft. This worm gear is preferably made up of two parts, a central spider 36' which maybe made of cast metal, and an outer toothed ring which constitutes the gear proper and which may be made of hardened'metal and removably bolted to the spider 36 as clearly shown in Fig.3. The worm gear 36 is driven by means of a worm 38 formed on a worm shaft 38' which at its inner end is mounted in bearings supported by "a cage 40 secured to the adjacent wall of the gear box 32 and provided with an end cap 41, while at its outer end the worm shaft is mounted in bearings 42 secured to a cage l'dwhich in v:tnm

is secured to the adjacent wall of the gear box. The worm shaft at its outer end has secured thereon a gear 44 which may be driven by means of a motor or other suitable power unit (not shown).

The central spider 38 of the worm gear 36 is provided on one side with clutch teeth 45 adapted to coact with a slidable clutch member 46 splined on the shaft 33 for longitudinal sliding movement on the latter and provided with clutch teeth 46'. The clutch member 46 is grooved to receive a clutch collar 41 adapted for engagement by a clutch fork 48 provided with a handle 48'.

It will be seen that whenever it is desired to' throw the reel or Winding drum into driving engagement with its source of power, it is only necessary to actuate the handle 48 to slide the clutch member 46 into engagement with the clutch teeth 45, the reverse movement of the said handle throwing the reel out of driving engagement.

Braking means for the reel is provided and comprises a brake drum 49 splined on the outer end of the shaft 33 and having a brake band 50 encircling the periphery thereof. The brake is adapted for easy control by means of a foot pedal which is secured on a stub shaft 52 mounted in a bearing bracket or pedestal 53 projecting upwardly from the cover 32 of the gear box 32. The inner end of the pedal or lever BI is connected to a brake rod or link 55 which pro jects through a combined guide sleeve and brake stop 55 and is secured at its outer end to one end of a brake band 57, the opposite end of said band being interposed between the lower end of the brake stop 56 and a nut 58. A retracting spring 59 completes the assembly.

In certain instances it may be necessary or desirable to substitute for the power drive a hand operated or manual drive. Accordingly, a sprocket gear 60 is secured on the outer end of the jackshaft 33, and the deck plate H at this point is provided with an access opening 82. A cover plate 63 is removably secured over the opening 62 during normal operation of the reel or while the latter is power driven. A hand operated unit or standby device is provided, note Fig. 6, and comprises an upright housing 64 which at its lower end is secured in a boltingon bracket 65 adapted to be secured over the access opening 62 by means of bolts 66. At its upper end the housing 64 has secured thereon bearing plates 61 and 61' to accommodate a stub shaft 68. A sprocket gear 59 is secured on the shaft 68 and has trained thereover a sprocket chain Hi. A handle H is secured on the outer end of the shaft 68 and completes the assembly.

Whenever it is desired to substitute the standby or manual drive for the motor or power drive. it is only necessary to remove the floor plate 63 and bolt the bracket 65 over the opening 62. The sprocket chain Ill may be trained over the sprocket wheel 60 to set up a driving connection between the shaft 68 and the shaft 33.

' From the foregoing the operation of the improved reel will be readily understood. When power is applied to the worm shaft 38 through the drive gear 44, the worm 38 drives the worm gear 36. This worm gear is free running as long as the clutch 46 is disengaged. An operator standing on the deck may easily manipulate the clutch handle 48 to control the drive on the reel while at the same time the brake pedal 51 is in convenient reach for braking the reel whenever such action becomes necessary. Thus the control in its entirety is through two levers, one operated by the hand and the other operated by the foot. The arrangement of the driving mechanism tends towards compactness so that the entire unit may be mounted in a restricted space. The drive mechanism requires relatively few parts which are of rugged construction capable of withstanding heavy duty service over a long period of time.

It will be understood that such limited changes in construction and design of the improved cable reel and coacting parts may be made as do not depart from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A cable reel assembly comprising a winding drum, a ring gear connected to said drum, 9. jackshaft mounted adjacent said ring gear and provided with a pinion in mesh with the latter, a worm gear mounted for free rotation on said jackshaft, a worm in driving engagement with said worm gear, a clutch for throwing said worm gear in driving engagement with the shaft, 9. sprocket secured on said J'ackshaft, a support disposed over said sprocket, and manually 0perable drive mechanism removably mounted on said support and operatively connected to said sprocket providing an alternate manual drive for the reel.

2. A cable reel assembly comprising a winding drum provided with a ring gear, a jackshaft mounted adjacent said drum and provided with a pinion in driving engagement with said ring gear, a worm gear mounted for free rotation on said jackshaft, and a worm in driving engagement with said worm gear, a clutch for throwing the worm gear in driving engagement with the shaft, a sprocket also secured on said jackshaft, and means providing an alternate manual drive for said shaft comprising a standby device including a housing mounted over said sprocket, said housing having mounted in the upper extremity thereof a stub shaft having secured thereon a sprocket in driving engagement with said first-named sprocket, and a handle for manually rotating said stub shaft.

3. In a cable reel assembly, a winding drum provided with a ring gear, a gear case mounted adjacent said drum, a shaft rotatably journaled in bearings mountedin said gear case, the one extremity of said shaft having secured thereon a pinion in driving engagement with said ring gear and the opposite end of said shaft being provided with a sprocket gear, the intermediate portion of said shaft having mounted for free rotation thereon a worm gear, a worm also mounted in bearings in said housing in constant mesh with said worm gear, a clutch mounted on said shaft and provided with a handle projecting upwardly through said gear box for throwing the worm gear in driving engagement with the shaft, and a standby unit providing an alternate manual drive for the reel including a housing removably mounted over said sprocket at its lower end and at its upper end having journaled therein a stub shaft provided with a sprocket gear having a driving connection with said firstnamed sprocket gear, and a handle connected to said stub shaft for rotating the latter.

4. A cable reel assembly comprising a winding drum, a gear connected to said drum, a shaft mounted adjacent said drum gear and provided with a pinion in mesh with the drum gear, a. gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft, a. clutch slidably mounted'on said shaft for throwing said latter gear in driving engagement with the shaft, a source of power for driving the reel, means providing a driving connection between said power source and said clutch-controlled gear, a manually-operable sprocket gear having a driving connection with said shaft, a support, and manually operable drive mechanism removably mounted on said support and including a removable flexible drive member for connection with said sprocket gear providing an alternate manual drive for the reel.

5. A cable reel assembly comprising a winding drum, a gear operatively connected to said drum, a gear case, a shaft rotatably journaled in bearings mounted in said gear case and provided with a pinion in mesh with the drum gear, a gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft, a clutch slidably mounted on said shaft for throwing said latter gear in driving engagement with the shaft, a source of power such as a motor for driving the reel, drive gearing operatively connecting said motor with said clutch-controlled gear, a manually-operable gear located exteriorly of said gear case and having a driving connection with said shaft, a support located adjacent said gear case, and manually-operable drive mechanism removably mounted on said support and including a removable flexible drive member for connection with said last-named gear providing an alternate manual drive for the reel.

FRANK R. CAPPS. 

